Lenni (SEPTA station)
Encyclopedia
Lenni is a derelict train station located on the corner of Station Lane and Lenni Road in Middletown Township
, Pennsylvania
. The station was a stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad
's (PRR) West Chester Line. It later became a part of SEPTA's R3 West Chester
line.
The station, and all of those west of Elwyn
, was closed in September 1986, due to deteriorating track conditions and Chester County's desire to expand facilities at Exton Station
on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line
. Service was suspended that time, with substitute bus service
provided. Lenni station still appears in publicly posted tariffs
.
The station shed itself was demolished in 1990s; the asphalt platform, station signage and maps survive.
Since passenger service ended in 1986, vandals began stealing the copper catenary overhead wire. As Lenni is currently used by SEPTA to train new railroad division motormen, the line remains electrified as far west as Lenni. Wire was removed for the remainder of the line out to West Chester over the summer of 2005 to prevent further theft.
branches off at Lenni. The line sustained heavy flood damage from Hurricane Agnes
in 1972, and was taken out of service at that time. The railway was never officially abandoned, and has since been deeded to SEPTA via PennDOT.
Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Middletown Township is a township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 16,064 at the 2000 census. The Pennsylvania State University has an undergraduate satellite campus located in the north-central portion of the township, while Neumann College, a private...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The station was a stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
's (PRR) West Chester Line. It later became a part of SEPTA's R3 West Chester
Media/Elwyn Line
The Media/Elwyn Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia west to Elwyn in Delaware County.Originally known as the Media/West Chester Branch, service was truncated on September 19, 1986 from West Chester to its current terminus at Elwyn. Service expansion beyond Elwyn...
line.
The station, and all of those west of Elwyn
Elwyn (SEPTA station)
Elwyn is the southern terminus of the SEPTA Media/Elwyn Line. Until 1986, service continued west to West Chester. Services was suspended due to poor track conditions...
, was closed in September 1986, due to deteriorating track conditions and Chester County's desire to expand facilities at Exton Station
Exton (SEPTA station)
Exton Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia atWalkertown Road, Exton, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Amtrak Keystone Service, Pennsylvanian , and Paoli/Thorndale Line trains....
on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line
Paoli/Thorndale Line
The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
. Service was suspended that time, with substitute bus service
Bustitution
The word bustitution is a neologism sometimes used to describe the practice of replacing a passenger train service with a bus service either on a temporary or permanent basis. The word is a portmanteau of the words "bus" and "substitution"...
provided. Lenni station still appears in publicly posted tariffs
Tariff (disambiguation)
A tariff is a tax on imported or exported goods.A tariff may also refer to:* Tariff, a schedule of prices for the sale or rental of a product or service* Tariff , in British criminal law, a minimum prison sentence...
.
The station shed itself was demolished in 1990s; the asphalt platform, station signage and maps survive.
Since passenger service ended in 1986, vandals began stealing the copper catenary overhead wire. As Lenni is currently used by SEPTA to train new railroad division motormen, the line remains electrified as far west as Lenni. Wire was removed for the remainder of the line out to West Chester over the summer of 2005 to prevent further theft.
Chester Creek branch
The PRR's former Chester Creek BranchChester Creek Branch
The Chester Creek Branch railroad line ran from Lamokin Street in Chester, Pennsylvania to Lenni in Middletown Township, until 1972. It was operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad , and later by Penn Central. The branch diverged from the Northeast Corridor main line near the now-defunct SEPTA Lamokin...
branches off at Lenni. The line sustained heavy flood damage from Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
in 1972, and was taken out of service at that time. The railway was never officially abandoned, and has since been deeded to SEPTA via PennDOT.